tfis 


DURHAM   N.  U. 


EVANGELICAL  TRACT  SOCIETY,  )  N0#    260. 

Petersburg,  Va.  $ 


THE  ALIrSDFFICIEXCY  OF  CHRIST. 


It  is  a  fact  which  cannot  be  denied,  and  which  need  not  be  con- 
cealed, that  there  are  many  who  have  fallen  short  of  the  salva- 
tion which  has  been  offered  to  their  acceptance.  But  how  is  this? 
It  is  not  owing  to  any  unwillingness  in  the  Saviour  to  receive 
them.     It  i  cause  they  hare  rejected  him  in   the  spirit  of 

infidelity,  like  the  malefactor  who  railed  against  him  on  the  cross ; 
or  Lifted  up  the  heel  against  him,  like  the  traitor  who  betrayed 
him  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies;  or  abandoned  themselves  to 
the  spirit  of  persecution,  like  Herod,  who  set  him  at  naught  and 
mocked  him  ;  or  perverted  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord,  like  Ely- 
mas  the  sorcerer,  who  was  full  of  all  subtlety  and  mischief;  or 
departed  from  him  sorrowful,  like  the  young  man  who  had  great 
possessions  ;  or  deemed  themselves  independent  of  the  riches  of 
his  grace,  like  the  proud  Pharisee,  who  trusted  in  himself  that 
he  was  righteous,  and  despised  others  ;  or  satisfied  themselves 
with  the  form,  without  the  power  of  godliness  like  the  foolish 
ins,  who  went  octfc  to  n>*et  th  at  had  no  nil  in  their 

lamps ;  or  sought  to  escape  from  their  conviction,  like  Felix,  who 
deferred  the  overtures  of  the  gospel  to  a  more  convenient  season  ; 
or  manifested  the  indecision  of  Agrippa,  who,  though  almost, 
was  not  altogether  persuaded  to  be  a  Christian  ;  or  lightly 
esteemed  the  blessings  of  the  great  salvation,  like  Gallic,  who 
cared  for  none  of  these  things. 

But  with  regard  to  all  who  have  come  to  the  Saviour  in  the 
sincerity  of  their  hearts,  sensible  of  their  burdens,  their  helpless- 
ness, and  their  misery,  how  different  has  been  their  experience,  and 
how  encouraging.  Just  look  at  a  few  of  the  cases  recorded  in 
the  sacred  volume,  and  mark  hotf  cordial  was  the  reception  they 
met  with,  yet  how  varied  the  attitudes  in  which  they  appear. 


"1  THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF  CHRIST. 

One  is  standing  afar  off,  with  a  cloud  on  his  countenance,  and 
a  burden  of  guilt  on  his  heart,  not  venturing  to  lift  so  much  as 
his  eye  unto  heaven  ;  thus  did  the  Publican  when  he  smote  upon 
his  breast,  and  gave  utterance  to  the  humble  but  accepted  prayer, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." 

Another  appears  to  be  rising  up  as  if  coming  to  his  right 
mind,  disgusted  with  the  abominations  after  which  he  had 
been  walking,  and  so  touched  with  the  tender  mercies  he  had 
hitherto  despised,  as  to  be  saying  in  his  heart,  "  I  will  arise  and 
goto  my  Father  ;"  thus  did  the  prodigal;  and  his  father  saw 
him,  even  while  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off,  and  had  com- 
passion, and  ran,  and  fell  upon  his  neck  and  kissed  him. 

Another  is  in  the  act  of  coming-  to  the  Saviour,  but  coming 
secretly,  satisfied  in  his  own  heart  that  he  is  a  teacher  comewfroin 
God,  who  teaches  savingly  and  to  profit,  yet  afraid  of  the  re- 
proaches of  men,  and  scarce  fortified  as  yet  for  the  bold  and  open 
avowal  of  his  name;  thus  did  Nicodemus,  the  ruler  of  the  Jews, 
when  he  came  to  him  by  night. 

Another  iscoming  to  him  openly,  and  with  great  ardor  and 
impetuosity  of  spirit,  heedless  of  every  difficulty,  and  in  the  very 
face  of  peril  and  of  death  ;  thus  did  Peter,  wheu  he  walked  alone 
on  the  bosom  of  the  dark  and  tempestuous  sea. 

Another  is  following  after  him,  but  with  a  less  bold  and  intre- 
did  spirit,  timid,  silent,  trembling,  shrinking  from  the  presence 
of  his  awful  majesty ;  thus  did  the  woman  who  came  behind  him 
in  the  press,  and  touched  but  the  hem  of  his  garment.       - 

Another  is  running  before  him,  almost  afraid  he  may  lose  the 
sight  of  him,  yet  putting  himself  in  the  way  by  which  he  was  to 
pass,  and  diligently  seeking  him  while  he  was  to  be  found;  thus 
did  Zaccheus,  when  the  Saviour  looked  up  and  saw  him  in  the 
sycamore-tree,  and  said  to  him,  "  Make  haste,  and  come  down  ; 
for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house. " 

Another  is  sitting  at  the  very  feet  of  Christ,  entertaining  the 
recollection  of  past  guilt,  and  weeping  as  one  weepeth  for  an  only 
child  :  thus  did  the  penitent  in  the  house  of  Simon  the  Pharisee, 
when  she  washed  his  feet  with  her  tears,  and  wiped  them  with 
the  hair  of  her  head. 

Another  is  lying  prostrate  on  the  ground,  overwhelmed  with 
the  force  of  irresistible  convictions,  and  crying  out  in  the  agony 
of  hie  spirit,  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  Thus  did  the 
jailer  at  Phiiippi,  when  the  glad  message  fell  like  music  on  his 
heart,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved." 

Another  is  seeking  for  the  Saviour,  the  same  Saviour  whom 
she  had  formerly  found,  and  whose  footsteps  she  had  been  follow- 
ing, but  whose  presence  had  again  departed,  seeking  him  with 


THE   ALL-SUFFICIENCY   OF    CHRIST.  3 

sorrowfulness  of  heart,  seeking  him  aarly  and  with  intense  de- 
sire, seeking  him  in  the  dark,  and  at  the  grave  where  her  sins 
had  laid  him  ;  thus  did  the  Mary  Magdalene  out  of  whom  seven 
devils  had  been  cast. 

Others,  again,  are  attending  eagerly  on  instituted  ordinances, 
or  searching  the  Scriptures  with  all  diligence,  such  as  Lydia  of 
Thyatira,  whose  heart  the  Lord  opened  when  frequenting  the 
place  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made;  or  Mary  of  Bethany, 
who  sat  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  listening  to  the  words  of  everlasting 
life;  or  Timothy,  who  from  a  child  had  known  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, which  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salvation;  or  theJEunuch 
of  Ethiopia,  to  whom  Philip  preached  Jesus  on  his  return  from 
Jerusalem,  where  he  had  gone  to  worship;  or  Apollos  of  Alex- 
andria, who  was  an  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord. 

And  others  still,  are  occupied  with  the  solemn  exercises  of 
prayer;  the  blind  man  crying  in  his  darkness,  "Jesus,  thou  Son 
of  David,  have  mercy  on  me;''  the  leper  in  his  uncleanliness, 
"Lord,  if  thou  wiltj  thou  canst  make  me  clean  ;"  the  woman  of 
Canaan  in  the  extremity  of  her  distress,  "Lord  help  me;"  the 
persecuting  Saul  amid  the  terror  of  his  convictions,  "Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?"  the  woman  of  Samaria  at  the  well  of 
Syohar,  "Give  me  this  water  that  I  thirst  not,  neither  come 
hither  to  draw  ;"  the  malefactor  in  his  last  agonies,  "  Lord,  re- 
member me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom  ;"  and  the  mar- 
tyred Stephen,  with  the  view  of  heaven's  glories  opening  up  be- 
fore him,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

It  is  especially  deserving  of  notice,  that  in  the  experience  of 
each  of  these  individuals,  there  was  something  peculiar  or  char- 
acteristic. Not  one  of  them  was  possessed  of  the  same  attain- 
ments, or  placed  in  the  same  position,  or  precisely  in  the  same 
state  of  mind  as  another.  There  was  dejection  in  one,  and  peni- 
tence in  another  ;  timidity  in  one,  and  anxiety  in  another  ;  intro- 
pidity  in  one,  and  trembling  in  another  ;  expectation  in  one,  and 
weeping  in  another,  and  apprehension  in  another,  and  serenity 
in  another,  and  full  assurance  in  another.  Nevertheless  they 
were  all  coming,  or  had  already  come  to  the  Saviour.  Therefore 
none  of  them  loas  cast  out.  They  were  all  treated  as  children  of 
the  same  family — as  believers ;  and  whether  they  were  standing 
afar  off,  or  coming  by  night,  or  sitting  at  his  feet,  or  weeping  at 
his  grave,  or  reclining  on  his  bosom,  or  looking  to  his  cross,  or 
interceding  at  his  throne — the  throne  where  light  is  given  to  the 
blind,  and  purity  to  the  unclean,  and  help  to  the  afflicted,  and 
direction  to  the  doubtful,  and  relief  to  the  destitute,  and  tho 
bright  entrance  into  heaven  to  the  dying — still,  the  Saviour  had 
a  kindly  Look,  or  a  helping  hand,  or  a  word  of  comfort  for  them 


fl">* 


HYMN. 


all:  and  how  diversified  soever  were  their  cases,  the  experience 
of  every  one  of  them  was  accordant  with  the  declaration  of  the 
great  Redeemer,  "Rim  that  cometh  to  me  1  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out." 

And  what  is  the  practical  lesson  taught  by  these  cases,  and 
which  every  man  should  be  anxious  to  learn  for  himself?  It  ia 
this:  that  there  is  an  all-sufficiency  in  the  riches  of  the  Savour's 
grace,  that  is  equal  to  the  necessities  of  our  own  case,  however 
urgent  these  necessities  may  be:  if  you  come  to  the  Saviour  as 
you  are,  with  all  your  burdens  and  with  all  your  miseries,  you 
will  assuredly  meet  a  kind  and  gracious  reception,  and  be  enabled 
to  set  your  seal  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  declaration,  that  it  is 
"a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  ofoall  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  even  the  chief." 


HYMN. 

L.  M. 

Whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will 
I  also- deny  before   my  Father  which  is 
ia  heaven."     Matt,  x  33. 

Jesus  !  and  can  it  ever  be, 
A  mortal  man  ashamed  of  thee? 
Ashamed  of  thee,  whom  angels  praise, 
Y/hose  glories  shine  through  endless  days! 
Ashamed  of  Jesus!  sooner  far 
Let  evening  blush  to  own  a  star  ; 
He  sheds  the  beams  of  light  divine 
O'er  this  benighted  soul  of  mine. 

Ashamed  of  Jesus  !  that  dear  friend 
On  whom  my  hopes  of  heaven  depend? 
No  ;  when  I  blush,  be  this  my  shame, 
That  I  no  more  revere  his  name. 
Ashamed  of  Jesus!     Yes,  I  may, 
When  I've  no  guilt  to  wash  away,— 
No  tear  to  wipe,  no  good  to  crave, 
No  fears  to  hush,  no  soul  to  save. 
Till  then — nor  is  my  boasting  vain — 
Till  then  I  boast  a  Saviour  slain  I 
And  0  may  this  my  glory  be, 
Jesus  is  not  ashamed  of  me! 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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